Valve arrangement



' Nov. 19, 1935. ,H. wl-:ssoN I2,021,342

VALVE ARRANGEMENT Filed May 20, 1935 Inf-venan @y W MMM/mw?. y Ami/As.

Patented N 139' 1935 UNITED ,s'frA'rlazsA PATENTOFFICE I vanvullznlil'i.liliiliN'l'y l t mmm wam, sp1-menen, Mw wim' *0 Smith and Wesson,

Inc., Springhill, Hass., a corporation oi' Massachusetts application May zo, 193s, serum. zam

disclosed in -my-Unid .states intentl No.A

As explained in that patent, the reversal of iluid ilow through a conduit is often undesirable and may leadto serious results, for example, -iluid 138881118 through a conduit in one direction may become contaminated, and, if reverse ilow occurs,

all of the fluid in that conduit and in intercommunicating conduits may also become contaminated so as to be unilt for purposes for which it would otherwise be suitable. For example, this invention is particularly suited for employment with the ush valves of water closets. These ilush valves. are commonly connected with conf .duits which supply drinking water. In certain cases the removal of water from the iiush valve has created a vacuum tending to `cause water to be'drawn backwardly through the valve and into as the conduit supplyins'drinkmg water.

For this purpose a valve maybe provided to perwh'en avacuum tends to develop in the conduit which otherwise might cause reversalof iluid ilow. In accordance withr this invention, .the vacuum preventing assembly may be arranged in valve proper may be disposed within a cage that `is disposed inthe conduit, while a basin to re.

is supported uponlav gradually inclined surface so that gravity normally ytends to hold'the valve in its open position. When the pressure within 50 the conduit tends to close'the valve, the ball rolls up the inclined surfacfeand engages a 'seat surrounding an opening 'through which 'air normally .may pass. Upon releaseof the pressure whichholdse ball in this position, gravity causes the to return to itsnormal position. Surrounding 'the seat for the ball valve is an annular basin to catch any leakage of water which A may pass through the valve'opening. An-im portant ieature of this invention is the arrange- 89 ment oi the valve without springs'and upon a y Theprimary object o! the presentinvention'isl toafford a simple, compact and effective ar- 1 rangement -to'prevent such areversal of ow.

80 mit communication of the interior of the conduit with the surrounding' atmosphere, Vespecially.

compact relation to the conduit itself Thus thel gradually inclined surface. 'Ihus the valve is very dependable since there is no danger of spring l breakage and there is little tendency for the ball to stick at either end oi its path. In the normal position lof the ball the vacuum preventing valve 'is open so that under ordinary conditions. there. is an opening through which air may pass from the exterior atmosphere to the interior of the conduit, this opening only being closed momentarily -during certain parts of the operating cycles of l0 the flush-valve.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1j is a vertical section ofa device constructed in accordance with this invention, a porltion oi.' Yan associated flush valve alsof `ling l5 Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on lines 2-2 and 3-3 respectively of Fig. 1; A f i is an isometric view fthe valve cage:`

Fig. 5 is an elevation showingthe device coinbined` with` a ush valve..

A vacuum preventing valve of the present type may be conveniently vassociated with any conduit wherein liquid normally owsfin one direction but wherein reversal of iluid ow due to a vacuum would .be objectionable. Ordinarily a valve of this type is used with a flush valve, such for "example as the valve of the generaltype disclosed in my United States Patent No. 1,782,222, issued November 18, 1930.

*In the :accompanying drawing, the cylinder of a flush valve is designated by the numeral I such a cylinder being provided with an annular valve seat 2 against which the flush valve proper I nor- 35 ymally seats. The lower part of the casing I is provided with a boss 5 to which the outlet conduit may normally be secured by a packing nut 6. In accordance with this invention, such lan outlet duct may be oi' the general form shown in Fig. 1 40 having a portion 1 received within the boss l and having a chamber 8 ofsomewhat greater diameter below -this portion, the chamber 8 in turn communicating with a continuation 9 which may conveniently be ofthe same diameter as the portion 'l. l

Surrounding the chamber 8 I may provide an v annularl basin I2 which provides an overflow prevente. 'lhis basin may have a lower ilange I8 fitting about and securedv to the outer sur- 50 face of the chamber 8 and may have an upright Wag I9 spaced from the same to cooperatetherewit l'n defining an annular space or bowl. The upper part of the wall I9 is provided with 'a beaded annular flange I5 which is spaced from 55 #the wall of chamber 8 so that these parts dene I an annular air vent I6.

`Located within thechamber 8 is a cage 20 which may be of generally cylindrical iorm having its axis inclined downwardly slightly toward so the center of the chamber 8, asshown particularly in Fig-.1. 'I'he cage 20 may have an inner wall provided by a disk 2|` to which the curvedl side wall`A of the cage `is secured. Thiscurved side wall may have a solid upper surface .and-

' may conveniently be formed of sheet metal, being ihollow and relatively light in weight. Due to the inclination Aof the cage 20 the ball normally engages the disk 2l as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1, thus being spacedfromthe valve seat 29. Whenv the ball is in this position, air may pass through theannular opening I6 and through the opening deilned .by the valve seat and thence through the openings 23o! the cage; Thus under normalconditions the interior of chamber l communicates with the -surrounding air. When the pressure within the chamber 8 exceeds the exte rior pressure, the ball 3|! may roll along the inclined lower surface lof the cage, and particularly on the strip 2l until it engages the seat 28, .thus substantially precluding the flow of ilui into or out of the chamber 8.

. Ordinarily a device of this type may be associated with a conventional flush valve which is normally closed so `that no water is contained in the outlet conduit. fSuch a valve may be actuated by a handle, such as the handle Il, Fig. 5, to permit the'ow of lwater through the outlet conduit including the chamber l. When the handle is released the valvemay move toward its closed position, means beingvprovided to permit the gradual closing of the ilush'valve after the actuating handle has been released.

When a device of the character disclosed here# y*in is associated with such a 'conventional flush valve, the-operation of the assembly is 'substan-l tially as follows: the flush valve I islifted from the seat 2 thus permitting water under pressure toziiowY downwardly through the outlet duct. including the chamber 8. Under these conditions themoment'ary increasein pressure within the chamber produces a surge which causes the ball to roll vfrom its full to its dotted line position, thus closing the opening'provided by 'seat' 29. When the actuating handle is released the ilush valve gradually 'clem and when the water pressure on the ball is relieved-the ball valve opens by gravity. Asthe balli'thus moves toward' its position in engagement with the seat 2l a slight amount of water may now outwardly into the annular chamber provided by member l.

Howeve ,Aas soon as the -valve l returns to its .normal .position this water may drain into the:

lower 'part or tnecnamber s and new down-J wardly into the chamber I, w

While the construction above described is effective for substantially all practical conditions -the device can be made to relieve a more sudden and/or a wider change of pressure (e. g. a change from 80l pounds water pressure to a 22 inch vacwuuml by inserting a check valve' between the ball valve and the flush valve as illustrated at I9 in Fig. 1. 'I'his valve is pivoted at!! in a ring I3 pressed into the upper neck 1 of tubular lmember vt with its left-hand side seating uppassagepltsaid case wardly and the right-hand side seating downwardly on the ring. By locating the pivot oicenter with the left-hand side largerthan the right-hand side, the valve opens in response to water pressure when the ush valve is opened; 5

and by weighting the right-hand side, as indicatedat 52, the valve closes by gravity when the ilush'valve is closed. When a vacuum develops in the supply line the ch'eck valve tends to prevent the suction from drawing the water from the toilet fixture; what little air leaks upwardly around the check valve is drawn through the ball-valve vent without substantial tendency to draw {water from the-toilet flxturel It is/evident that this invention providesy a simple, compact arrangement permitting the vacuum to bebroken in a conduit of the type disclosed hereinand particularly in the outlet conduit associated with a ilush valve. The arrangement of the annular member I9 ,prevents any 20 objectionableleakage of water from the conduit and the arrangement' of the gradually' inclined cage 2l permits proper movement of the` ball 30 between ope'n and closed positions without undue shock and without tendency to stick at th'e nor- 25 mal position at the lower end of its path.

u Furthermore, the openings which are provided to admit airl may havev a substantial area, as shown, for example, having an area of the order of the eil'ective cross-section of the duct section 30 J, so that accidental clogging by dust or the like is avoided. By, confining the openings 2l in the ball-valvev casing to the lower side thereof there is little if any tendency for any foreign material in the water to become lodged in the casing.

It is furthermore to be noted that the ball valve and its casing are located within the tubular member 8. Thus anv unusually compact, simple and dependable. assembly is provided.

sd end ofthe cage, and a ball valve movable within the cage to close said opening, said sectionhavingapassage past saidcage.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a `conduit section, an inclined cage in said section,

oneend ofsaidcagebeingsecuredto thewall of said section, said wall providing an opening atv said .of the cage.' anda ball valve movable 4 within the eag'e toelo's'e said-ropening, and an l annular basin member surrounding said section 'to receive liquid'overiiowing throughsaid open- 00 3'. A device of the classdescribed, comprising a conduit section, an inclined cage in said section, the upper end of said cage being secured to tbew'all o! said section, said wall providing n open- 35 ing at said end of the cage, and a ball vemovable within the cage to close said opening, the b@ normally being maintained by gravity in the lower end ofthe cage and said section having a v i 4.- A device of the class described, comprising a 'conduit section, an inclined cage in said section,

the upper end of said cage being secured to the f wall of said section, said wall providing an opening at said end om the case. and a ball valve movable within the cage to close said opening, the ball normally being maintained by gravity in the lower end of the cage, and an annular basin member surrounding said section to receive liquid flowing through said opening.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a conduit section, a gradually inclined cage in said section, the upper end of said cage being secured Y to the wall of said section, said wall providing an opening at said end of the cage, and a ball valve movable within the cage to close said opening, the ball normally being maintained by gravity in the lower end of the cage, said cage having a generally cylindrical wall, the lower part of said wall having openings, the upper part of said wall being solid and said section having a passage past said cage.

6. In combination with an integral part of a flush valve, an outlet duct for said valve, a valve arranged in said outlet duct, said duct having an opening which may be closed by the valve, when actuated by internal pressure, said lastnamed valve normally being spaced from the opening to permit air flow into the duct and said duct having a passage therethrough independent of said valve.

7. In combination with a ush valve, an outlet duct for said valve, a valve arranged in said outlet duct, said duct having an opening which may be closed by the valve, when actuated .by internal pressure, said last-named valve normally being spaced from the opening to permit air flow through the opening, and an annularbasin member in compact concentric relation to said duct and arranged to catch liquid overflowing through said opening.

8. In combination with a flush valve, an outlet c duct for said valve, a generally cylindrical cage disposed in said section and having a slight downward inclination, the upper end of said cage being secured to the wall of said section, said wall providing an opening at that end of the cage, and a ball disposed within the cage and movable to close said opening, the ball normally engaging the lower end of said cage, and a basin member disposed adjoining said opening to receive liquid flowing through the same.l

9. In-comb'mation with a flush valve, an outlet duct for said valve', a generally cylindrical cage disposed in sa'id section and r.having a slight downward inclination, the upper end of said cage being secured to the wall of said' section, said wall providing an opening a't that end of the cage, and aball disposed within the cage and having a slight downward inclination, the upper end of said cage being 'secured to the wall of said duct, said wall providing an opening at that end of the cage, the upper surface of the gaging the'lower end of said cage. and a cylindrical. basin arranged compactly about the duct in the region of the cage to'catch .liquid overflowing from the first-named opening, the upper part of the basin cooperating with the wall of the duct in providing an annular port through which air may pass to said first-named opening and thence through the openings in the cage. `the port, said first-named opening and the 5 openings-in the cake each providing areas for the passage of air of the order of the cross section of the duct.

supply line from a flush valve to a toilet fixture, 20

comprising a tubular member adapted to be tted into and become a part of said line for delivering water to said fixture, the tubular member having a vent in the side thereof, a valve casing mounted inside said member, and a ball valve 25 movable back and forth in said casing to open and close the vent, said casing extending downwardly from the vent so that the valve opens by gravity andsaid member having a passage therethrough independent of said valve. $0 13. A vacuum relief device for use in the water supply linefrom a flush valve to a toilet fixture, comprising a tubular member adapted to be tted into and become a part of said line for delivering lsaid casing being closed lon the top and-having an opening in the bottom and said member having a 40 passage past said casing.

14. A vacuum relief device for use in the water supply line from a flush valve to a toilet xture, comprising a tubular member adapted to be fitted into and become a part of said line for delivering 45 water to said fixture, lthe tubular member having a vent in the side thereof, a valve casing mounted inside said member, and a ball valve movable back and forth in said casing to open and close the vent, said casing extending downwardly from the 5 vent so that the valve opens by gravity, said casing being closed on the top and having an opening in the bottom and said member having a passage past said casing.

15. A vacuum relief device for use in the water 55 supply line from a ush nvalve to a toilet fixture, comprising a tubular member adapted to be fitted into and become a part of said line for delivering water to said fixture, a check valve for restraining upward flowl through the member, a vent 0 below the check valve, and a valve inside said centric alignment with said valve, a cylindrical cage disposed in said duct below said valve andl member for closing said vent in response to internal pressure. 16.- Avacuum relief device for use in the water supply line from a flush valve to a'toilet fixture, comprising a tubular member adapted to be fitted into/and become a part of said line for delivering water to said fixture, the tubular member having a vent in the side thereof, a valve casing mounted inside said member, a valve in said casing for closing said vent in response to internal pressure, and above said valve an independent check valve opening`` downwardly in response to pressure on the flush valve side and closing by gravity.

' HAROLD WESSON. 

